The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1887-02-18
VICTIMS or THE BLIZZARD.

Terrible Suffering Among the Helpless
Residents of Montana During tie Cold
Spell-Snow from Ten to Fifty Feet in
Depth-The Mercury Drops to 62 r.
Many Lives Lost in the Islinding Storms.
BUTTE, NJ T., Feb 14-Reports received
from Fort Benton, Fort Assinaboine and
the upper river towns say the loss of life
from cold during the recent blizzard will
be larger than was anticipated. Ranch
men were Unable te go after fuel Those
going from one town to another were lost
in the blizzard. a great many cowboys
endeavoring to drive cattle were t$ozen,
and some will have to have their legs am
putated.
NEW York, Feb. i4.-The World pub
fishes long special from Fort Keogh, M.
T., on the severity OF the present winter.
Nothing like it, according to the Worlds
correspondent, has been experienced for
many years. The severe weather started
in soon after the holidays. From January
to II the degree of cold was some
thing frightful. Mercury thermometers
were often concealed. and spirit thermome-
ters we're kept busy jumping from 10 to 60
degrees below zero. Half a d6zen times has
the go notch been touched and once this
season 62115 degrees below zero has been
scored on the Saskatchewan plains. The
snowfall has been unprecedented. In some
places it is anywhere from ten to fifty feet
deep. On the level throughout the Nation
al park and elsewhere it is from eight to
twelve feet deep, and on the dead-level
prairie from eighteen to forty inches.
Of course, such heavy fall must bring
more or less suffering and death. A num-
Der of casualties have already occurred.
An Englishman named Elliott left Fort
Assinaboine twenty-five days ago for
Maple Creek, iii Canada. He is an
old man and could not face
the northern cold, so it is believed
he has persisted: David j. Walters,
miner, aged sixty, was found dead this
week in snow-bound cabin near Virginia
City Dan Lovey was lost in the Mussels
shell range and wandered for six days
with nothing to eat in the worst blizzard
ever seen. He went a short distance to
blanket horse and was lost, and could
not find his way back. He was picked IN
by some cowboys a week later, near dead.
Tony Wise and a Swede named Martin
were at work on the side of Sheep mount.
aih early in January A huge avalanche
swept down the mountain side and hurried
two men into eternity without a moments
warning, burying them thousands of feet
below. In the mining regions west of here
terrible freezings have occurred, but fortu-
nately with little loss of life.
The Indians seem to have caught it hard
er than any other human creatures in the
country. A band Of British Cree Indians
came across the line last fall, and while the
weather was fine camped in the mountains
between the forks of the Sun river. An
unusual snow came and the creatures
became penned in by an icy wall From
seventy the number was reduced to fifty
one by starvation, when white men hunted
them up and brought relief During the
latter part of January fifty lodges of Crow
Indians camped on ClaFlz's fork came near
dying Many did + IRISH, but the majority
managed to sustain life by eating the cattle
that died in the snow-drifts.
1t is impossible TO say what damage has
occurred with stock and cattle. AS rule,
horses and mules have done well, but cat
tie and sheep have been more than deci-
mated. Some authorities say the sheep in
dustry is nearly wiped out, except where
shelter and food were provided. Some
sheepmen in Western Montana have lost
entire herds. There is no doubt the cattle
industry has received a serious blow. Re
liable men have estimated the loss at forty
five and fifty per cent Others, just as re-
liable, say twenty per cent will cover all.